31 MAY: PEER-REVIEWED STORY SWAP

Anchor

Those of us who had the pleasure and privilege of participating in this Story Swap were unexpectedly blessed.

First, we enjoyed the diversity of the stories shared by Shalni Doshi, Prakrati Agrawal and Daniela Kato - each one had its own distinct merits in both the content and the telling.

Second - and perhaps all the more noteworthy for any practising storyteller - were the insights into the art of telling that were to be gleaned from the fascinating responses and constructive suggestions made by our members, the audience.

it is important to remember that these sessions always begin with the audience expressing what they appreciated about the telling. And this appreciation is not a succession of gushy-mushy awesome darling praise - no, people were very specific in highlighting, for example, openings or the use of specific gesture, word choice,  stillness, voice quality, or the vivid detail ('flexing the bow and waxing the arrow'). The sheer range of appreciation was affirming and eye-opening for both tellers and listeners ('Oh, I hadn't realised the story was succeeding like that!') 

Then after questions (posed first by the teller and then the audience) we got to the suggestions! Oh what a treat! It was so energising!

And remember, these Story Swaps are free sessions, during which tellers are conversationally sharing their collective wisdom drawn from their different experience and perspectives. While the comments were very specific to the teller and their story, the relevance to everyone present was clear.

Who hasn't been guilty of doing too much, with distracting movement diluting our impact? Or of making a story run several minutes longer than it really needs to? Who would have thought that a simple change in motive (gathering firewood to cook breakfast instead of to keep the winter cold at bay) could have such a dramatic effect on the impact of a charming eco-story? 

There were only 8 or 9 of us there, which enabled a lot of interaction and to-and-fro discussion. So I feel a bit like a reviewer for a hidden gem of a restaurant: I really want to sing its praises because the place deserves to be more popular, but part of its quality is due its intimacy and i wouldn't want my review to swamp the place with business. However, as a Director of FEAST, I would be remiss if I kept the effectiveness of the Peer-Review to myself - I strongly recommend that you attend one in future! 

Christine Carlton - who is our next Guest Coach - was there tonight, partly I suspect to get a sense of FEAST and the warm sense of family at our session. She was so insightful on several occasions that I for one am really looking forward to her coaching in July - Roger J

2 JUNE : POST CULTURAL/HERITAGE SITE MENTORSHIP SHARING

JO HENWOOD introduced, with justifable pride, her three mentees: Prakrati Agrawal, Cem Alfar, Wong Swee Yean. Each then each shared fascinating insights into their mentorship journeys and how the process has affected their individual storytelling practice.

One of the key takeaways was that this was not a mentorship focussed on storytelling skills but on the in-depth planning that creating a programme requires - and it was clear, from the range and depth of the examples each mentee shared, that Jo has done an excellent job in giving them the skills and confidence to operate independently in future. Prakrati spoke of embracing, or not being afraid of, failure (she referenced Edison's belief that every 'failure' shows us one more thing that doesn't work and brings us closer to finding what does.) Swee Yean spoke of accepting challenges - and turning them into opportunities.

Prakrati showed great perseverance in the face of one covid-fueled frustration after another that led to several plans/projects being tossed out of the window (though I suspect, like Jack-and-his Beanstalk, they may well rise again in the future!) Finally she created and successfully delivered a nature walk enriched with multi-sensory storytelling that appealed to both kids and their parents.

Cem illustrated the importance of having a back-up plan because, even though he was stranded mid-air due to a last minute flight delay, he had thoughtfully pre-recorded a 9 minute video that concisely and clearly conveyed the complexity of the task he set himself when he conceived the Lycian Way Storytelling Tour. The success of this poject is being documented - and you will be pleased to know that Cem has follow-up Festival projects already gestating, and the Directors are looking forward to his next proposal!

Swee Yean presented a detailed summary of her work at Singapore's National Gallery (art work) and the National Museum, as well as with seniors and youth with learning/social issues. Rich in examples and anecdote, it was an entertaining and revealing insight into her motivation and approach as a teller.

Coinciding with FEAST's 4th Birthday almost to the day, this presentation was a powerful reminder of what makes FEAST special and how far we've come (though I suspect if the Directors had had Jo as their mentor in 2018, FEAST would have progressed even further!)

There is a tendency to think only of the storytelling opportunities that FEAST offers, and the formal training that our webinar series provides. However these informal and highly personal exchanges often offer unexpected treasures that lie close to the heart of storytelling.

As with the peer-reviewed coaching sessions, I urge members to consider attending our informal programming, as there is much to gain from these kinds of experience. As Jo said in her closing remarks, a reason for being part of FEAST is that we are stronger for being together.